Temporary Patients

Why we ask temporary patients to see their own GP

We are pleased to have very high satisfaction rates amongst our patients for the ease with which they can get appointments. This is due to a lot of work done behind the scenes to ensure we have enough staff and appointments as well as good processes to deal with the ever increasing demands made on GP surgeries.

The funding of primary care is mainly based on the number of patients registered with a practice. If we see patients who are not registered with us, it necessarily means that we are using our resources and appointments to see people for whom the practice receives no payment.

As a practice with exceptionally good access, many people registered elsewhere find it easier to see us rather than wait a few days or weeks to see their own GP. This means that the appointments they take up are not available for St Wulfstan patients.

To maintain our good service, we need to balance the expenses associated with seeing unregistered patients with reducing our costs elsewhere. This could lead to a reduction in the number of staff we can employ and threaten the viability of the additional services we provide (eg blood testing on-site, warfarin testing, travel clinic, smoking cessation etc ). The alternative would be to reduce the number of appointments we can provide for our registered patients and we prefer not to do that.

So, although we may appear to be unhelpful if we cannot see temporary patients, we are simply trying to direct resources to patients who are registered with us and protect the services that we offer them. Patients registered elsewhere should see their own doctor. We will, of course, see you if you are having a problem that really cannot wait until you can see your own GP.

If we see you as a temporary patient for something we think you could have seen your own GP about, please don’t be surprised if we tell you so!

For minor illness and injuries contact or visit the Minor Injuries Centres at: